The present invention generally relates to a spline, to an assembly utilizing the spline, and to a method for transferring energy, and more particularly, to a tapered spline which is adapted to selectively engage another spline, effective to allow energy to be transferred by and between first and second members while concomitantly reducing the likelihood of failure or fatigue.
Oftentimes it is desirable to physically couple a pair of members, effective to allow energy, such as rotational energy, generated by or communicated to a first of the members to be communicated and transferred to a second of the members. This is typically achieved by the formation of several splines of a first type (e.g., male or xe2x80x9cexternalxe2x80x9d type splines) upon the first of the members and the formation of several splines of a second type (e.g., female or xe2x80x9cinternalxe2x80x9d type splines) upon the second of the members.
That is, each of the splines of the first type engages and movably mates with a unique one of the splines of the second type, thereby causing the splines to form pairs of engaged and corresponding splines (e.g., each pair of corresponding splines includes a male and a female spline) and to cooperatively and physically couple the first ad second members, effective to allow energy to be transferred by and between these physically coupled members.
More particularly, each of these conventional splines usually has an engagement portion which is of a substantially identical shape having a relatively constant cross sectional area. The engagement portions of each pair of corresponding splines then selectively and movably mate, allowing the members to be physically coupled in the previously delineated manner. While these conventional -spline engagement portions do allow the members to be physically coupled, they do not allow each pair of cooperating and corresponding splines to remain fully engaged as the first member begins to receive a relatively large amount of load or torque and the members begin to structurally deform or deflect. Hence, the load or energy, which is communicated to the second member is substantially prevented from being evenly distributed along each of the pairs of the mated and corresponding splines (e.g., along each of the respective edges of each pair of mated engagement portions), thereby causing the load to be only applied to a certain portion of these spline engagement portions (e.g., at certain xe2x80x9cpointsxe2x80x9d or relatively small areas of an edge of each spline engagement portion), thereby increasing the likelihood of fatigue or failure.
It is a first non-limiting advantage of the invention to provide a spline which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated disadvantages of prior splines.
It is a second non-limiting advantage of the invention to provide a tapered spline.
It is a third non-limiting advantage of the invention to provide a spline having a pair of edges, a first of the edges being tapered and a second of the edges being substantially straight.
It is a fourth non-limiting advantage of the invention to provide an assembly having a pair of members, a first of the members having several substantially identical tapered splines and a second of the members having several substantially identical conventional splines.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a tapered spline is provided.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a pair of splines is provided, a first of the splines being tapered.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, an assembly is provided. The assembly includes a first selectively rotating shaft having a first spline; and a second shaft having a second spline which engages the first spline and which has a certain shape which allows the second spline to engage the first spline along the substantially entire length of the second spline.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for transferring energy from a first member to a second member, the first member being selectively rotated and the second member being deflected in response to the applied torque. The method includes the steps of forming at least a first spline upon the first member; and forming at least a second spline upon the second member, the at least second spline having a shape which allows the second spline to substantially engage the at least first spline along at least one edge of the first spline as the first member is being rotated and as the second member is being deflected.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and by reference to the following drawings.